


Coming of Age

by Guardian



Category: Thor (2011)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-08
Updated: 2012-08-11
Packaged: 2017-11-11 16:54:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/480742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guardian/pseuds/Guardian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor will soon come of age, and he desires to travel to Midgard. Loki helps his brother get this wish, and ends up being forced to accompany Thor. This is the start of an epic adventure. Or maybe just another cheesy coming-of-age story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Heavily based on the movie, but completely rearranged to my own wishes. Thank you to dragonflydevi for making me completely addicted to Thorki.

In two weeks,Thor, Odin's eldest son, would finally become of age after hundreds of years, and be considered a proper man and warrior among his people. There wasn't a soul in Asgard who hadn't heard – this had been the talk of the Aesir for months, and Loki was already weary of the constant reminder.

Each passing day, Thor's level of excitement and cheer notched up impossibly higher than it had been before in anticipation of his big day -- and Thor was a cheery person to begin with. He would greet his brother every morning with an enthusiastic salutation and a smile that was so wide Loki could not help but at least quirk his lips in return even on his most miserable days. If Loki slept too long past daybreak, Thor would come to rouse him with boisterous words and encourage him to partake in breakfast and so on. If he didn't know any better, Loki would swear that it was Thor himself that caused the shining sun to rise on Asgard each day.

Today, like any other, Loki was woken from his sleep by Thor's booming voice. However, as he shuffled lazily from his warm bed he realized that Thor was not calling for him. Instead, Thor was apparently engaged in what seemed like a rather one-sided conversation with someone, in which all of Thor's sentences were more akin to loud proclamations.

Loki did not bother with any effort to dress for the day just yet. Instead, he wandered from his room still in the casual clothes he slept in. He found it necessary to walk a surprising distance down the hallway (or maybe not so surprising, given Thor's lung power and how well sound could bounce off the stone walls) before he actually came across his brother apparently talking to their father.

"I do admire your zeal, my son, but what you speak of is no longer a necessary tradition," Odin was saying to Thor in his most reasonable tone.

"It need not be necessary, Father!" Thor persisted, far from being deterred. "This quest is one which I desire to carry out for our great honor!"

Odin sighed with infinite patience. His clear disapproval of whatever Thor's latest brash idea was seemed to be lost on his firstborn son, but Loki could read the bold print quite clearly.

"It is a tradition that _should not_ be kept any longer," Odin amended. "This is a time of great peace. There are no enemies to prove yourself against unless you are foolish enough to create them."

"But I must," Thor said, too dumbfounded to accept something as being impossible to him. "A warrior becoming of age should set out into the Nine Realms and accomplish a great feat worthy of retelling for many generations," and he smiled, trying to appeal to Odin's old desire for victory, but that had long been subdued after Jotunheim fell from power.

"My son, you would only disrupt the balance between our worlds."

"Please, father. Allow me to venture into Midgard at least. I must see the other worlds! I will best all their greatest warriors and come home with great pride. I promise I will spare their mortal lives," he added, which was a considerable courtesy for Thor.

"Absolutely not," Odin snapped. It was the clear, barking voice that always meant the conversation was _over_ and he would not discuss it any further. Apparently Thor was not so aware of this, because he continued trying (and failing) to convince his father to agree to his request. 

Loki, however, left from the edge of the room where he had been watching, never noticed by either Thor or Odin. He knew that it was easier to stop Sol in its journey than it was to change Father's mind about anything, and that all of Thor's pleading would be amusing but fruitless.

Midgard, though. Thor desired to go to the Bifrost on the day he became a man – to see another realm and prove himself a man in more than just age? It was an interesting idea, and one that Loki actually found himself sympathizing with, despite his distaste for such affairs. The rites and passages of a warrior hardly appealed to him, seeming too brutish and dangerous for his nature, but he understood all that they meant to Thor. If his brother didn't get his wish, Loki was sure that Thor's cheery disposition would turn to gloom and thunder for an insufferable length of time, however short it may be.

Thusly, Loki's curiosity was piqued and he turned to find answers in the many books contained in the library. What was Midgard like exactly? Was his brother's wish entirely foolish? When he finished all that references had to offer, Loki was still dissatisfied. Even the newest books were several years old and from what he could tell, life on Midgard changed rapidly, unlike the slow consistent plodding of time in Asgard. 

So Loki went to see the only person who should know best – Heimdall. At first the old gatekeeper insistently warned Loki off, until he was finally convinced that the trickster was not trying to access the Bifrost, not even by deceit. Loki merely persisted in questioning Heimdall about what he saw about the life on Midgard, and needled him to relate this in great detail and try to explain all that he knew. It annoyed the gatekeeper, but at length Loki learned what he felt was a great deal and was finally satisfied that he had an impressive knowledge of these mortal beings.

It was time to go to Odin and see if he could not help his brother achieve what he desired.

 

~~~~~~~

 

"Why not venture forth into Asgard, and prove your worth by returning with the head of the greatest beast?" Odin suggested, not for the first time. "There is rumored to be a tremendous snipe whose wings blacken the skies over-"

"It is not the same!" Thor cried, actually getting rather upset at this point. "Please, Father," he begged. He had been harassing Odin about this for days on end, repeating the same requests and each time resorting to his whining and sighing even sooner than the day before. Compared to this, it was no wonder that Loki was considered silver-tongued.

"Father, if I may," Loki finally said, stepping in at the right moment, when Thor had shut up for half a second, attempting to convince his father with his sad eyes, and Odin sighing all the while.

"Yes, Loki?" Odin asked, intrigued by anything that would interrupt Thor's daily badgering.

"I've been studying Midgard and its ways," Loki began, and smoothly began to explain things that he had learned in all his research. He quickly and easily converted Thor from his initial quest without having to state the obvious – that it was a ridiculous idea for a god to fight among mortals. Rather, Loki claimed, Thor merely wanted to venture forth and experience the culture first-hand so that he might become a wiser and more worldly king. After all, as the inevitable heir to the throne, he would be expected to travel the Bifrost to strange lands when necessary, and where better to start than with Midgard, which was easily one of the safest worlds.

All of this, of course, was far from Thor's initial blundering intentions, but by the time Loki was done speaking, he not only had his brother easily convinced that this idea was even greatest, but had also managed to have Odin believe that this was Thor's true intent the entire time.

"This sounds a splendid idea, Thor," Odin conceded after a moment of silence when Loki finished. The dark-haired prince had to resist rolling his eyes, but he was used to his father lavishing more praise on his golden-haired child.

"Yes, when you become of age in few days time, your journey shall be arranged. I trust you to learn well of the Midgardians, respect their ways, and come to understand your place as protector of them and the rest of the Nine Realms."

This was almost unexpected, but Loki couldn't help but inwardly gloat with pride. His silver-tongue was indeed good enough to persuade Odin himself to change his stubborn mind about something.

"You will depart after the celebrations," Odin continued. "Heimdall will open the Bifrost for you and Loki."

Loki blinked, absolutely stupefied. "What? I... Father, I desire not to travel to Midgard," he assured him quickly.

"You must accompany your brother if he desires to visit this realm. You have proven yourself to be most knowledgeable of Midgard and your wisdom will be invaluable," Odin stated reasonably. Too reasonably. "Listen to your brother's advice, Thor, and protect him earnestly."

"Of course, Father," Thor beamed, overflowing with joy. He turned his brilliant smile to Loki, who had paled a shade and was far less pleased about the whole idea. But as much as the very thought of making this trip himself terrified him, Loki knew he could not refuse. Thor simply could not go blundering into Midgard alone – and blunder he would. And Loki simply could not let his brother down.

Thor clapped his brother on the back as a thanks, and Loki could not help but force a smile despite the obvious nervousness that wrinkled his face. "Worry not, brother!" Thor declared, still grinning, his face brighter than the sun. "No harm could possibly befall you – I and Mjolnir will not allow it. This instead will be the finest adventure for us! We will create the finest story, you and I. An epic to be told for generations."

Loki was not as certain about that as Thor seemed to be – but his brother's assertions eased some of the nervousness from him. This was the way it was, Loki reminded himself. Many times Thor pushed him beyond his limits, and although sometimes that ended up with him breaking a limb, for the most part things turned out just fine and Loki realized there had been nothing to fear all along. He hoped that this expedition would fall into the latter scenario.

"Come now," Thor persisted, breaking Loki's stillness by forcibly dragging him from the room, "I smell a midday feast. Let us not discuss this further until we eat."

Of course, food was always a suitable distraction for Thor. And Loki was grateful.

x


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Loki arrive in Midgard.

The journey to Midgard was more terrifying than Loki had even feared. The only saving grace, perhaps, was that it was all over so quickly. One moment they were hurtling through space, and before Loki could even think to so much as cry out, they had crashed into a new land.

Even Thor was affected by the journey, but he was able to more easily stumble to his feet and assist his brother, bracing Loki until his younger brother regained his composure and grace.

"Startled, brother?" Thor asked, his face splitting into an infuriating grin once again. "I have not seen you so unsteady on your feet as a newborn fawn since you attempted to drink spirits."

Loki swatted angrily at Thor for the reminder, but the larger man only laughed kindheartedly and continued to graciously offer him support.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" a feminine babble reached their ears, and they both watched as two maidens of the land come skittering towards, them, tripping over rocks in the half-light. The girls nearly collided into them, and Thor smiled again, amused as the pair also had to grasp each other to balance themselves for a second. They each held a strange cylinder which produced a beam of light, and Thor wondered how they managed to capture part of the sun without fire.

"Whoa," one of the maidens said, blinking at the Aesir and then popping her lollipop back into her open mouth.

"Are you guys okay?!" the other asked, more concerned and frightened than the other, though she appeared to be more afraid for their well-being than of the princes themselves. "You were right in the middle of that – that storm," she paused to wipe hair out of her eyes, breathless from running and from apparently witnessing a frightening event for a mere mortal (or a god, Loki would add). "I thought you got hit by lightning!"

Thor glanced up at the sky – indeed it was dark with heavy clouds and weather now, and the air carried the lively energy that promised more electricity. "I do not fear such things," he answered easily, giving the maidens a grin. They responded with wide-eyed stares. "Now tell me, fair damsels, where my brother and I might secure a room for the night?"

"Your brother," the more vocal one repeated, while the other girl sucked on her lollipop, eyebrows raised. "You and your brother are a long way from a hotel. How did you guys even get out here?" She glanced around, but knew for a fact that she hadn't seen another vehicle for miles. Her eyes fell on them again, this time with suspicion.

Thor merely blinked and turned to Loki for an explanation. Loki had shrunk off to hide behind Thor's shoulder, and gave his brother a blank look in return. He had no idea what such a thing as a 'hotel' was, but then, neither did Thor, and the Midgardians needed an explanation to put their minds at ease. It was fortunate that lying was second nature to Loki. Possibly even first nature.

"My brother has been into the spirits tonight," Loki explained. Even easier to tell a convincing lie when it was the truth. Thor smiled warmly at the maidens again.

The women blinked, and the talkative one sighed wearily. "Partying in the desert is such a bad idea," she said, with the exasperation that came from having to deal with stupid people. Stupid, incredibly gorgeous people. Guh. "Y-you could easily die out here, you know," she continued, attempting to lecture them. Thor still smiled mildly, but Loki tried to look serious and nod along to her words. "It's fifty miles back to town, and if you go the wrong way, you..." she flung up her hands and sighed. "Do you know the way back to town?" Loki shook his head slightly, but Thor's continued blank stare already answered her question.

The other girl finally pulled her lollipop out of her mouth and looked to her friend. "We can give them a lift," she said. "Though they might be murderers," she added, joking darkly but half serious.

"We are princes," Thor said brightly, attempting to reassure her, and took the girl's incredulous giggles as a good sign. "Not a single hair shall be harmed on the head of any who I might call 'friend'," he added regally.

"Well that's good," the lollipop girl said, then made a face and giggled again at her friend. They whispered at each other for a quick moment, then glanced back at the men, their minds easily made up. They simply could not leave someone in the middle of nowhere.

"Our van's over here, okay?" they motioned, turned and began walking slowly, bumping into each other on purpose and whispering, laughing again quietly to each other. All of this did not strike Thor as odd at all – he was quite used to maidens behaving as such, being so affected by his looks, strength, and status.

"Come, brother," Thor said, placing his hand on Loki's shoulder to urge his younger brother forward. "Our adventure begins," he declared, quite pleased as he followed the women.

They had a strange metal craft with even stranger devices that they were sternly warned not to touch. Thor shrugged mildly and piled in behind Loki, making sure that his brother was safe within this odd chariot. As soon as it began moving, Loki seemed beside himself with unease, but Thor merely smiled on, even enjoying the bumps in the road that made Loki clutch onto his arm.

"Um, so what are your names?" the lollipop girl asked, turning around from the passenger's seat to look at them. "I'm Darcy and this is my friend Jane."

"I am Thor, and this is my brother Loki," Thor announced proudly. Loki made an effort to give her a friendly smile before he shrank in his seat again, tense and digging his nails into Thor's arm.

"Carsick?" Darcy asked. "Sorry, Jane's a terrible driver, too."

"Hey!"

"Don't worry, though, the road smooths out ahead and the way Jane drives, we'll be back into town before you know it." This was true – the road soon became smoother, and Loki calmed down marginally.

Darcy asked them more questions – where they were from – and received strange answers. "Asgard? I haven't heard of it. That must be far away."

"Very far," Loki responded. These mortals had no idea.

"What do you do?" Darcy continued with her interrogation. "Are you like a carpenter or do you just work out a lot?"

"I am a warrior in training," Thor answered.

"Uh – okay. Um, and what about you?"

"My brother's talents lie in magic," Thor answered for him with a proud smile. Jane and Darcy glanced at each other, unimpressed. "He is very good at it," Thor added. Darcy looked even more unimpressed, but bit her lip politely.

"Sooo," Darcy said, finally settling back into her seat for a second. "Do we even have a hotel in town?"

"I..." Jane snapped her mouth shut, thinking. "I think there's a motel or something."

There was, and they passed it slowly as they arrived in town until the women could discern that it was closed for the night.

"Well. We do have a spare bed," Darcy reminded Jane, with a mischievous smile. "What? We've already given them a ride. What's the point if they have nowhere to stay?"

Jane sighed and felt herself slipping to the insanity. "Okay," she agreed hesitantly, but only because Thor was too freaking handsome to risk turning out onto the street, and his brother looked so small and fearful beside him.

"Splendid!" Thor boomed happily, making everyone, including Loki, jump. His brother gave him an annoyed look which he ignored. "Have you any drink at your abode?"

"I think you've had enough," Darcy responded, and the girls shared a laugh again as they turned on to a street, proceeding with their new destination.

They shortly arrived, and the accursed machine finally came to a stop. Everyone emerged from the vehicle with jittery nerves – the girls from uncertainty, Loki from the damned trip, and Thor from excitement.

"A fine palace," Thor praised, though Loki was far from pleased at the sight of the ordinary home.

"Uh, thanks," Jane said. She and Darcy were now on to speculating what country the two men were from – they were clearly foreigners. Loki said nothing to such questions, and Thor sounded hilariously drunk. But God, he was ever handsome. Jane could only hope she wasn't making a horrible mistake – and told Darcy to keep her taser handy, which earned her an eye roll and a 'duh'.

"So, uh, this is it," Jane said as they entered. "The wonderful 'palace'. Living room, obviously, kitchen is through there and bathroom is down the hall. Let me show you the spare room."

She led them upstairs, opening the door to the spare room – a place for a third roommate to live, if they could ever find one. Jane turned back and smiled at them, then did a double-take at the bed. "Oh. Wow." It was a full, but maybe she'd underestimated how big Thor was, because maybe he could fit on the bed, but certainly not both of them. "Um. Well one of you can take the couch downstairs," she offered as cheerfully as possible.

An expression of dismay crossed Loki's face at the very thought of being so far away from his brother in this strange place. But he needn't worry, for Thor did not even glance at him before declaring, "It is a fine chamber! Thank you, Lady Jane," he said, bowing graciously and kissing her hand. "Lady Darcy," he added, turning to the other girl and repeating the gesture, eliciting more embarrassed and uncertain giggles.

"Alright, um. I'll see you in the morning?" Jane guessed.

"Until morning!" Thor agreed with his usual assertion and good spirits.

The girls spoke idly to each other downstairs for a while longer, speculating uselessly about their strange house guests. Nothing could be particularly figured out, and they agreed to wait until Thor was sobered up in the morning to see who was correct. They both agreed that the men were likely from some Scandanavian land, but they both had different ideas about how they could have ended up in the desert, and why.

Finally they returned upstairs to retire to their own rooms. Neither could resist peeking into the open guest room. Jane had thought that surely one of them would have taken the floor, but it wasn't the case. Loki was curled beside Thor, so small in comparison, apparently trying to sleep, while Thor propped himself up on his elbows, looking down at his brother while he spoke.

"Was this not a good idea? Do you regret this already? Try to enjoy yourself for once, Loki. What is better than the company of such lovely Midgardian maidens? Tomorrow you will see, brother. We shall explore this new land together."

"Thor. By Odin's beard, do shut up," Loki muttered.

 

~~~~~~

 

When the girls woke, they were slightly startled to discover that Thor and Loki had apparently risen at least an hour before them. They discovered them in the kitchen – Loki was perched delicately on the counter-top, impassively watching his brother attempt to cook several breakfast dishes at once. Thor had discovered the bacon and sausage, pancake mix, oatmeal, cream of wheat, eggs, potatoes, and spices that the girls didn't even know they had in the pantry. Loki had helped him figure out the stove, which was now piping hot with four different pans of food. To Thor's credit, it all smelled overwhelmingly amazing.

"Lady Jane! Lady Darcy!" Thor greeted with another wide grin. "Good morrow!"

"Uhh, good morning," Jane said, smoothing out her hair while she tried to process what was happening here. "You made breakfast."

"It is the most vital meal to begin one's day," Thor asserted.

"You made _all_ the breakfast," Darcy said, lifting an eyebrow, but nonetheless settling down at the table which was already piled with plates of ready food.

Thor frowned only marginally at the apparent disapproval of the maidens, but shifted the topic readily. "Loki refuses to partake of any. Perhaps you could convince him to have a morsel."

Jane blinked in surprise, eying the variety of food once again. It was hard to believe that he wouldn't touch any of the food. Maybe his brother was a bad cook? … No way. Nothing was burned, everything looked amazing and the smell was mouth-watering.

"Not much for breakfast?" she questioned sympathetically. She didn't consider herself one for breakfast either, but then again she didn't usually make herself something this extravagant. "We do have some other options," she said, realizing that Thor hadn't found everything possible. "Cold cereal, coffee, toast... What do you like?"

"Toast!" Thor declared. "Thank you, Lady Jane. Have you bread?"

"I'll get it," Jane offered mildly, and set to the simple task of preparing a couple slices of toast for Thor's brother. She couldn't decide who was stranger to her – Thor and his rampant energy, or Loki and his quiet. She might easily say Thor, but his good mood was actually strangely infectious and at least forcefully drove away what might otherwise be awkward moments.

"So you guys are visiting," Darcy guessed. It wasn't a question. "What country are you from?"

"Iceland," Loki answered, recalling the name of such a place which was familiar with the old legends that Midgardians had about Asgard and the gods.

Thor turned to his brother, actually outraged. "Such lies!" he proclaimed. "Asgard has no lands of ice!"

"Um, interestingly enough, it's actually Greenland that has a lot of-" Darcy's attempt at an injection was cut off by Thor.

"Such curses," Thor muttered at Loki. The sky darkened as he stirred a pan with brusque movements. "You would wish Asgard to be as Jotunheim?"

"Does your brother keep a flask on him?" Darcy asked Loki in a whisper.

His green eyes flicked from her back to his brother and then on nothingness, betraying no emotion, but the girls already felt sorry for him enough. "Of course I lie," he mumbled smoothly. "It is Norway where we hail from. Though Iceland is close."

"Stop. I hate such lies, brother," Thor said, his tone much milder, though his brow was still furrowed. Loki sighed as his brother ruined this once again. "Should we not simply tell them the truth? Surely they would be nothing but impressed to be in the presence of such powerful gods."

"I may be a liar, but I am not as arrogant as you, nor as foolish," Loki muttered venomously.

Jane and Darcy looked at each other, exchanging looks until the toaster finally popped. Jane tended to this, and frowned out the window as she realized it was raining.

"So...what is the truth?" Jane prompted, setting the toast on a plate and giving it to Loki. She wondered if he was in a particularly bad mood, or if he always picked his food into pieces. At least he was eating.

"That I am Thor, God of Thunder," Thor answered simply, as if repeating himself. "And Loki is my brother, God of Lies and Trickery."

Loki's eyes flashed sharp and he set the plate aside, gracefully dismounting from the counter-top. "Enjoy your birthday alone, brother," he grumbled, leaving the room.

"Hey..." Darcy tried to cajole softly, but Loki was quickly from the room. "Thor, come on, that was mean," she said softly.

"It was truth," Thor muttered, scraping food from pan to plate.

"It was still kind of mean," Jane agreed, frowning.

"He infuriates me so!" Thor groused. Outside, thunder rumbled distantly, and then again, closer. "That he would convince Father to allow me this trip only under circumstances of lies. That he would ask me to hide as a mere mortal instead of allowing me my glorious quest!"

Neither Jane nor Darcy knew how to react to his strange words for a moment, but they were far from convinced that Loki was doing anything wrong. "Maybe you're overreacting?" Jane suggested. "I'm sure whatever he did, he meant well."

"He insults me by underestimating me and asking me to be cowardly," Thor said. He finally seemed to finish all of the food, and settled at the table with a plate that was loaded to overflowing with a combination of _everything_. Jane gave him a strange look and quickly went to turn off the burners that Thor had left on, becoming mildly annoyed now.

"I could easily fight any threat," Thor added, his face still dark with anger. "My strength is tenfold."

"Just calm down for a second, okay?" Darcy suggested, still thoroughly confused about what Thor was so angry about. He seemed to comply by shoveling food into his mouth. "You guys clearly have issues."

"I love my brother," Thor declared to the contrary, now angry at Darcy.

"Start at the beginning," Darcy urged, lifting her hands in a sign of nonviolence. "It's your birthday, right? And you came here...to celebrate?"

Thor nodded in the affirmative and went on to tell of his desire to carry on the noble tradition of great warriors coming of age and setting out to make a name for themselves. He told of how Loki changed this glorious plan, and now had soured everything, and repeated his story enough times to finally convince them that he was serious.

Thor sighed at the end of it all. "I shall have to depart and find my brother," he said regretfully standing up. "Surely he is headed back to the Bifrost, and my trip will end shortly whether I cross with him or not. Farewell Lady Jane, Lady Darcy."

He left the room, but the two women followed him slowly, intending to at least watch him leave. Instead, Thor stopped in surprise in the living room. Loki had never left, nor gone particularly far. He stared out the window, arms folded and shoulders tense, too stubborn to go outside into what was now quite a storm.

"Loki," Thor seemed to be entirely relieved. "I thought you would be calling to Heimdall by now."

"No," Loki answered. "You would not allow me to leave," he said, referring to the storm.

"Please forgive my temper, brother," Thor said. "Forgive my unkind words. Even if you will not stay, please forgive me." He squeezed Loki in such a hug, warm and truly beseeching and unrelenting until Loki finally relaxed in his arms.

"You are my only brother," Loki murmured quietly, and Thor released him, allowing Loki to finally turn an address Thor, his green eyes still wounded. "Do not think the worst of me. You are a fool for revealing yourself to mortals. You have no idea what the consequences might be if you seek such attention in Midgard."

"But can they know, brother?" Thor questioned, persistent. He glanced at the girls. "Suppose they were not to tell another mortal soul. You know me well; it would please me. Allow me to have just that, and stay. You ought not to leave your only brother, seeing that he is such a fool."

"I would never go through the Bifrost again, were it an option," Loki answered, still annoyed. "I do not see why you insist to convince these mortals of your power."

"Because I desire the company," Thor answered with a smile. "And I wish to explore the lands! Tell me, is it not true that we would benefit greatly from guides?"

Loki only tightened his lips into a thin line and rolled his eyes in surrender.

Thor turned to the Midgardians. "If you would accept my humble apologies," he said. "I thank you for your hospitality. I wish to see the finest of this land. Show me."

"A tour?" Jane offered weakly.

"Yes," Thor agreed. "I saw your mountains – let us go there," he suggested.

"Howww about we just go the movies instead?" Darcy offered, a little wide-eyed at the crazy idea of going as far as the mountains.

"Splendid! What are they?" Thor questioned.

"Moving pictures," Loki said. "Quite popular in the culture."

"Do you wish to see them?" Thor asked hopefully. He beamed at Loki's barest nod of approval. "Then it is settled." He opened the door, the loud pummeling of rain surprising all except for him. Thor stepped outside without care, even looking up to admire the dark clouds.

"I'll...get my coat," Jane said slowly. Loki put out his hand to stop her.

"Brother, please," Loki sighed from the doorway. "I hate the rain."

"You hate all things," Thor teased, turning to his brother.

"I do not hate you."

Thor grinned again, quite pleased, and within a matter of moments, the rain ceased, and the clouds were already being chased off, parting for the sun and the beautiful azure sky.

"Does that please you?"

Loki murmured a thanks and stepped outside, the girls following him, bewildered.

"God of Thunder?" Jane repeated slowly, bewildered as she took out the keys to her van.

"I may lie, but Thor does not," Loki smiled softly. "Never."

"So you're gods," Jane said, dumbfounded and hardly convinced – but she studied weather systems, and the bizarre phenomenon that occurred when the two appeared – and the way the storm cleared off far too suddenly. "Wait, was _that_ a lie? That Thor never lies?"

"I shall thoroughly prove my truthfulness to you!" Thor promised, cheery again. "First let us go to this... that of which you spoke. You may ask me any question and I shall answer, only I wish to thoroughly enjoy the strange magic of your world."

"Right," Jane blinked and took a moment to think while Thor tried to persuade Loki to once again ride in the metal deathtrap. "I've got a _lot_ of questions I can think of."

 

x


	3. [Lame title here]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magic is real, okay, don't act so surprised, Jane. :1

"So you control the weather," Darcy stated as they emerged from the theater. They had many questions, and were starting to believe the strange brothers, but trying to actually get answers during the movie had been futile. Thor was far too absorbed in watching the film, as thoroughly entertained by the explosions and fights as Loki had predicted he would be when the girls tried to explain the choices of what was showing.

"I would not call it control," Loki answered with a smirk at the corner of his mouth. "It is far from his foremost skill."

"Okay, then what is his skill?"

"Yes, brother," Thor chimed in, with a curious smile tugging at his lips. "What would you describe as my greatest skill?" 

"Your strength and prowess as a warrior, of course," Loki answered with a rejoining smile, though he glanced away from his brother. "Thor alone possesses the strength to wield Mjolnir."

"What is 'Meurmeur'?" Darcy questioned.

"A hammer," Jane said. "Right?" Thor grinned in approval and she crinkled her nose in pleasure. "So you're Thor, the God of Thunder, and his brother Loki. Okay. I can buy that. What I don't get is why a couple of gods chose to come hang out in New Mexico."

"My brother is of simple mind and easily amused," Loki answered.

Thor responded in turn by cuffing Loki about the head. Loki laughed and smoothed his hair.

"I sincerely hope you do not strike them thusly!" Loki said to Thor, though he was playful in his words. "With such strength, you would give them the most delicate of bruises!"

Thor cuffed him again, and then locked his arm about Loki's neck, but both brothers laughed heartily through the rough sport. It was entirely tease and show, with no real strength behind Thor's blows or grasps for he was quite easy with his brother. If the women thought it looked at all rough, they had certainly never seen Thor in training, much less in the heat of battle. The bit of horseplay was over as briefly as it began.

"I desire sustenance," Thor proclaimed, though it had been merely a few hours since he'd eaten damn near everything for breakfast. "What do you advise for Midgard food?"

Darcy looked at Jane, the unspoken question of _are we really going to take them seriously?_ passing between them. Jane's slight shrug was the answer.

"Have you heard of pizza?"

 

~~~~~~

 

"This dish is of the gods," Thor proclaimed around a mouthful of cheese.

"I'm glad you approve," Jane said, amused once again just to watch these supposed gods eat. 

Thor devoured. Loki picked delicately at his food. He did eat one thin slice, which Jane took as a good sign, and then he merely ate the peppers and olives that topped the pizza, avoiding the meats entirely. Thor picked up on this immediately, without a word, and began to thoughtfully place more of these small offerings in front of Loki from each slice that he consumed.

"Pizza; food of the gods," Darcy said. "The Italians will be pleased." This small joke was entirely lost on Thor and Loki, who merely looked at her quizzically. She coughed. "Soo. Um. What next?"

"Yes, what," Thor repeated, the pizza quite destroyed by now. He glanced at Loki's small pile of peppers and olives, pleased that Loki was eating something, however small. "There are many strange things in this world of yours. Tell me how it is possible to have so many magical devices." He gestured towards the TV hanging on the wall of the small pizza parlor.

Darcy snorted quietly. "It's not magic."

"It is not," Loki agreed, quite sure that he would be able to sense it. His books had informed him that magic in Midgard was exceptionally rare, although powerful sorcerers did and had existed. It was common for a mortal to never experience magic in their entire life. Though that lifespan was rather short anyhow.

"What is it, then?"

"It's science. Electricity," Jane said.

Thor's brow furrowed. "How could one tame the force of lightning?"

"It's..." Jane's mind flashed over all her science, and though she knew how to explain, she immediately recognized the incredible challenge of trying to explain laws of physics and basic sciences to a Nordic god. "It's very complicated," she sighed. "Just trust me, it's not magic."

 

~~~~~~

 

There were many such 'electronic' devices that fascinated Thor. He was convinced that, despite what the Midgardians said, it was quite similar enough to magic. It helped him accept the idea of how they worked, at least. He was quite enamored and equally bewildered by all of these things – television, phones, computers. Jane was quite pleased to show off her knowledge of these devices, and led Thor to her lab for her opportunity to impress a god.

"Nerds," Darcy said softly in the awkward silence of Loki's presence, attempting to draw a small laugh for their mutual disinterest in those things. Of course, Darcy's disinterest stemmed from really not understanding what Jane would talk about half the time, which really became frustrating. Loki was entirely unconcerned with it.

"Well..." Darcy searched for something to say, and nearly asked what it was that Loki liked to do before she caught herself. She doubted that he liked to do _anything_ at all, and sort of gave up on the idea of starting a conversation. "Do you want to take a shower?" she offered, turning to politeness instead.

Loki tilted his head, hands clasped behind his back where he stood. "How does one take it?" he questioned without betraying much curiosity in case her strange question was a challenge of sorts.

"What? Oh," Darcy grimaced awkwardly. "It's like a bath," she tried, and was relieved that Loki's eyes lit up in understanding.

"I'll have it drawn, thank you," Loki said.

Darcy scrunched her face and briefly considered slapping him just because. But that wasn't fair. "We don't actually have a _bath_ , it's only _like_ a bath," she tried to explain. "Geez, let me just show you," she said, giving up on niceties and yanking Loki by the sleeve.

"See, this one is for hot water and this one is for cold," Darcy said, twisting until a spray of water spurted from the shower. She was inwardly pleased to see Loki startle ever so slightly. Getting reactions out of him was like pulling teeth, and she wished Thor was around – he was the only one who could at least make Loki smile and seem human.

"So you can adjust..." Darcy tried to explain, and then remembered the really bitchy thing about showers was that it was so difficult to get the water get right. One little millimeter of change and suddenly the water was either ice cold or scalding hot. "Never mind, this can be a pain in the ass. I'll make sure it's set," she said, and soon had the water just so. "That good?"

Loki extended his hand into the falling water, greatly intrigued by it. "Yes," he said.

"Grrreat," Darcy said, flashing a big grin and thumbs up. "So I'll just go. And don't take forever, okay?" She forced another toothy grin and then left, shutting the door behind her.

Loki pondered the water for only a moment, then disrobed and stepped into strange, shallow bath. He tested the falling water again with his hands and then ducked into the water.

He immediately wished that such a thing were placed in Asgard. Perhaps there was an appeal to Midgard after all. This might certainly be it. He let the water wet his hair and then stream over his body at length, enjoying the strange and wonderful sensation before he finally set to discovering where they kept their scented oils and cleaning himself.

Thor returned a short time later with Jane, grinning to himself for the joy of all these new discoveries. He paused upon entering and tilted his head at Darcy, who was sitting on the couch with what she called her 'iPod'. 

"What is that sound?" Thor asked.

Darcy was about to try explaining bands to him, but then realized that Thor was listening to the water run. "Oh. The shower," she said. "I showed Loki the bath."

"Most superb!" Thor beamed. "He has always been displeased at the slightest bit of dust. Perhaps he will be happier then. I am next, brother!"

Loki at last emerged, and Thor happily took his place in the bath. As soon as the door shut, the small house was filled with a bellowing Nordic song. Loki slapped his palm to his face in embarrassment while the girls gaped at each other and then howled with laughter.

Then Jane really looked at Loki, and blinked, and realized what was amiss. "Oh shit. I'm such an idiot. I should have thought of it earlier – you don't have a change of clothes," Jane said, as Loki was wearing the same clothing again. "I'll go find something. I'm sorry."

Jane dug through her ex-boyfriend's old clothing, trying to pull out complete outfits. She found a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that would fit Thor first, and gave them to him by cracking open the bathroom door, eyes covered as she flung them inside.

It took a longer time to find something for Loki (he made a face at her first choice and firmly requested something with sleeves), and when she finally had, Thor had already emerged from the shower, dressed in only his new jeans.

"Ohh..." Jane flushed bright red and turned away, interrupted by such a sight while she was trying to hand Loki the clothes she'd picked for him. Loki glanced at his brother and Thor smiled. He couldn't blame her for reacting that way – Thor's golden body was a sight to behold. Stranger though, the Midgardian clothes suited him very well. Loki was at a loss for how such a rough material could look so marvelous clinging low around Thor's hips. But perhaps it was just his brother's flawless beauty – he could look good in anything.

"Perhaps you should become mortal. Midgardian style suits you," Loki stated.

Thor snorted, and Loki was unsure if he took the compliment or thought it as a small barb. "And how are yours?" he inquired.

Loki turned back to Jane, who had thankfully gotten over her embarrassment and handed the clothes over.

Thor saw the look in Loki's eyes as he stared down at the bundle in his hands. A brown, collared shirt rested on top.

"Does it displease you, brother?" Thor frowned.

"Um," Jane shifted awkwardly while Darcy stared. "They're _clean_ ," she said.

Apparently this wasn't what concerned Loki.

He lifted one hand, absently flicking his fingers in the air. Color seeped into the shirt – unnoticeable at first, but within seconds the shirt was a lovely spring green. Jane and Darcy gaped. Loki smiled, content now, and left for the secluded guest room to change. 

"I... I... Magic is real. Okay," Jane finally said, resolved.

"Did I not tell you he was the best?" Thor said, swelling with pride. He pulled on his t-shirt now, to the disappointment of the womenfolk. The shirt was tight, at least.

"I hate to break it to you, but we can change the color of things, too," Darcy said. "For example? I have no idea what my natural hair color used to be."

Thor pressed his lips together, accepting her challenge. "Minor tricks," he assured her. "When I inform Loki that you were unimpressed, you shall see. He is marvelous."

"Uh-huh," Darcy said, though inwardly she wondered what else Loki could do. "How about another movie?" she asked, wiggling the remote.

Thor was seated on the couch, awaiting another of these moving pictures when Loki returned, now dressed in his Midgardian clothes. 

Thor was breathless. His brother looked regal again. The shirt suited him, clinging to his slender form perfectly, his favorite color complementing him as usual, and bringing out the gleam in his gem-like eyes. The shirt's collar fell open about his neck, exposing the lines of his bare throat. There would be no woman who would not be pleased to have him.

"We're doing a movie," Darcy announced. "Jurassic Park or The Princess Bride?"

They watched both, and more, and ate snacks all the while. When they finally finished, it was late at night – early in the morning, actually – and Loki had long since fallen asleep.

"He can rest here," Jane whispered to Thor as they all stood up to stretched.

"Nonsense," Thor replied gently, and easily scooped his brother into his arms. Loki woke briefly only to rest his head against his brother's broad chest, and he was entirely asleep once more. "Goodnight, Jane and Darcy."

 

x


	4. Quack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki you goose .3.

In the morning, Thor discovered poptarts and his passion for them. Loki watched him devour the strange tarts with much distaste while he took small bites of an apple.

"Damn, you can put it away," Jane muttered, staring at him over her cup of coffee. She was unsure if she was impressed or not at the rate Thor could consume food.

"He's eating lightly," Loki assured her, his green eyes glimmering with mirth. "Brother of mine could devour three boars for each meal, bone and all. Mother never warned him that one becomes what one eats."

Darcy snorted and clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide, and both girls immediately wondered how Thor would respond. They were both surprised that Thor immediately laughed the same way Darcy had, only he did not try to contain it, and bits of his food shot out, which made the other three cringe.

"Then I shall consume more of these 'popped tarts', that I might become as sweet as your silvered tongue!" Thor declared in return, making Loki flush. Thor grabbed another packet from the now-empty box and ripped into the foil, then bit into both of the packaged poptarts at once.

"Looks like a shopping trip is in order," Jane sighed, picking up the empty box and wrappers and taking them to the trash. "We need to buy more food," she stated the obvious, opening up her bare cupboards and trying to remember what they used to have before the God of Thunder rolled into their lives and began eating them out of house and home.

"Excellent," Loki stood up, elegantly unfolding his slender body from the chair. "We will need more finely tailored garments if Thor desires any further length of stay."

"Okay," Jane gave a shaky laugh, "well I definitely can't _afford_ that, so unless you guys have some money that isn't going to happen."

"Are you kidding, they didn't even pay for pizza," Darcy reminded her. 

"Yes, what is your form of currency?" Thor asked.

"We call them dollars," Jane frowned. She decided to at least show him and grabbed her purse, scrounging out a crinkled note. "See, this is a twenty dollar bill. One of these might get you a decent shirt."

Loki snatched the paper out of her hands, his nose crinkling in distaste as he felt the worn and filthy paper between his fingers, but he turned it front and back, studying all the markings.

"Loki?" Thor inquired.

"It is only marked paper," Loki said, thrusting the slip back to the bewildered Jane. He walked to the counter and grabbed one of their writing pads, murmuring words, then turned back to the table and began to rapidly peel off the sheets one by one, two by two, letting them scatter onto the table. The white sheets fluttered through the air like strange confetti and landed all green and old-looking, and each a perfect replica.

"How much is that?" Loki questioned, bored after only a few dozen sheets, not even bothering to finish with the rest of the notepad.

"A good start," Darcy said, staring at the pile of money, astounded.

Jane could hardly speak, making strange noises as she went to grab the bills and inspect them. "Y-you can't just do that!"

"But I have," Loki responded, confused by her upset.

"You can't make money out of thin air," Jane cried, staring at the money in her hands.

"Of course not," Loki agreed. "It is paper."

"It's fake," Jane insisted, trying to make sense of this. But it felt so entirely real. Strange, but real. They were perfect replicas. There was just no way it could be so easy.

Thor chuckled. "I do not understand why you would place value on such flimsy things. What practical use could they serve? Let me procure a fine fur for you instead."

"They're bogus," Darcy blurted out, proud to finally figure it out. "Every serial number is the same," she said, flipping through various bills. 

"Allow me to correct that," Loki offered.

"No way. It's not the paper itself," Jane said, her head still spinning as she tried to explain. "The real worth is in silver and gold. That's why you can't just fabricate your own money. There has to be something to back it up."

"Yes, I am familiar with the trade of gold pieces," Thor smiled. "Our worlds are not so different, then."

"But I don't suppose you brought any of that with you from Asgard," Darcy said.

"Loki can meld objects to gold," Thor announced proudly. "Then this extra currency will be 'backed'."

"It's not a strong skill," Loki frowned, fussing a bit as he wished that Thor wouldn't volunteer him for such things. "I could only create a pittance."

"Only try, brother!" Thor urged, getting to his feet. "Lady Darcy was far from impressed by your glamors," he mentioned, making Loki narrow his eyes at him. "Work true magic into this, to at least show her it can be done," he suggested, picking up Loki's forgotten apple and placing it into his younger brother's hand.

Loki briefly considered refusing to give in to Thor's pressuring, but it was easier to just let the magic work from his body, through his fingertips and into the apple. He murmured runes that would coax this item into changing what it was made of. The flesh toughened and grew heavy. The red skin and white meat exposed from his few bites began to turn yellow, and then gleam. It took a surprising amount of concentration, but Loki did not let the effort show. He sighed when the change was complete, turning the golden apple in his hands.

"If only it were one of Iðunn's true apples, it might be worth more than a bit of mead," Loki muttered, and set the apple down again.

Darcy snatched it up immediately, her mouth falling open to feel the strange weight and cool metal in her hands. She turned it around and around, trying to find fault with it, but for all she could tell, it was as if someone had sculpted a lump of gold into an apple for some reason.

"Is this real?" Darcy blurted out, asking the most important question. "Or does it just _look_ gold, or something."

"It is real. No illusion. But I could not change anything larger that would be of real worth," Loki said, sad to admit his limitations. "Nor could I change another for the moment."

"But it's real," Darcy repeated. "Really really real?"

"Solid gold," Loki assured her, flicking his eyes up to the ceiling with impatience. 

He couldn't fathom why he was suddenly tackled in the most undignified hug, accompanied by shrill squeals.

 

x


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soda is not alcoholic, Loki, stop it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song within this chapter is "Only The Horses" by Scissor Sisters, which is fabulous and you should listen to it. Not only did it suit Thorki and this fic, but I couldn't resist adding it because [PONIES](http://crazyk-c.tumblr.com/post/29043149840/caroline-angel-of-the-lord-requested-a-picture-of).

The trivial amount of gold was apparently a big deal. It took a while for Jane to arrange a few matters, apparently converting the gold into "real" dollars that they could spend. She finally sat down a couple days later and stated simply, with wide eyed disbelief, "We can do whatever we want."

Loki adored his new clothes, feeling almost regal again in them. He was dismayed that his brother still chose to dress like a brute, apparently fond of the jeans and t-shirt look, for he bought more of them without much consideration.

They had left the small town and arrived in a city bustling with people and metal beasts and loud noises. They went to a tower made of glass and took two rooms, each with two beds. Thor was greatly amused by the card that opened the door, managing to lock himself outside of the room several times in a span of ten minutes (locked out despite the fact that _he_ was holding the key card), forcing Loki to keep having to get up and let him back inside, and earning several noise complaints for Thor's excited shouting.

"Okay, okay, stop playing with the door," Jane finally interrupted, emerging with Darcy from their room shortly down the hall. She plucked the key card out of Thor's hands, and gave it to Loki instead, who seemed to be the slightly more responsible.

Thor pouted for the loss, but then openly admired the new fashions the girls sported. "The goddesses themselves should be envious!" he praised.

"Thanks," Jane blushed, smoothing out her dark purple dress self-consciously. "Uh, so-"

"We're going out," Darcy explained.

"Ah. Goodbye," Thor nodded.

"No, all of us," Jane amended, gesturing between the four. "It means we're going to a club. It's a place where there's music and dancing and-"

"Ale?" Thor interrupted, nearly vibrating with joy, for he was quite familiar with such events.

"Yes," Jane said, humoring him. "Lots of different types of ales. So go get dressed."

Thor glanced at himself and his brother. "Are we not decent?"

"That's not how you dress for..." Darcy trailed off and muttered several curses Thor had never heard from a woman's mouth, nor any other type of creature. "Okay. Clubbing expert coming through," she announced, pushing past Loki and into the room. She began picking through Thor's scattering of new clothes and Loki's neat piles.

"Wear this," she instructed, tossing a blue shirt at Thor. "And your new jacket. And _definitely_ these," she added, spotting the pair of jeans that she'd told Thor made him look like 'thunder down under,' whatever that had meant.

"And Loki..." Darcy glanced at him and picked carefully through his things. She chose a fine silk shirt of green that Loki was also pleased with, but then continued to rummage for a particular pair of pants. A pair she'd forced Jane to buy, and which Loki had attempted to hide away. She found them too easily, and Loki regretted not having the time or thought to burn them. "JUST TRUST ME," Darcy asserted, shoving the clothes at Loki. "Get dressed."

Thor quite happily began to shuck his clothes without care.

"Um, Darcy, _get out_ ," Jane hissed, dragging her friend away and shutting the door so the guys could have privacy.

Loki exhaled, relieved to have at least one less embarrassment, but was left staring at the garments in his hands. He did not want to "just trust" her judgment.

"Don't delay so," Thor frowned at his brother, and then smiled. He was already half-dressed, having slid into his jeans. Loki wished to wear the same instead of something so ridiculous as what he was being asked. "Hurry now, or I'll leave without you," Thor teased, and it was impossible to tell if he would actually make good on such a threat.

But the alternative was either to throw a fit or continue standing like a fool. Loki reluctantly disrobed and tried on the accursed pants that Darcy had insisted on, hoping to find a plausible fault with them that would let him wear anything else. This fault came quite easily once he had them over his thighs – they were so tight they refused to move any higher.

"Trouble?"

Loki hated the slight amusement in Thor's voice and the huffs of breath that escaped him from this foolish effort.

"They don't fit," Loki grumbled.

"Has your diet of air caused you to gain in girth so quickly?" Thor asked, coming to help him.

Loki hated Thor for seeing through his lie, and the damned leather pants for sliding up so easily when Thor grasped the waistband. Petulant, Loki did not help, forcing Thor to straighten the garments for him, and to put together the clasps. He also hated Thor for doing this task for him without the slightest bit of hesitation, as if it were a rare treat to dress his brother, or as if it were nothing to handle his body. He also hated himself for enjoying such an indignity. Nonononono - not _enjoying _, tolerating. Being amused by, maybe.__

Thor fumbled the last button into place and took a step back to admire his handiwork. "It suits you, brother," he beamed. The leather trappings were tight as a second skin, and made Loki's legs so long and lean, showing off his delicate build and long limbs.

They finished dressing and emerged, then had to walk to the door of their companions, as Jane and Darcy had evidently returned for something while they waited.

"Oh, good," Jane said when she and her friend re-emerged. She looked over the two men. Gods, she mentally amended, and what gods they were. "Um. Wow."

"Okay, so here's the plan. We're going to go dance and get incredibly drunk and have lots of fun," Darcy announced.

"Ah," Loki twitched his lips innocently. "There's little challenge in that for Thor."

"Oh, but, you do have a mission," Jane remembered. 

"Right. You have to keep all the creeps from hitting on us," Darcy said.

"None shall strike you," Thor pledged.

"Good." Darcy patted his broad chest patronizingly. "Let's go."

 

~~~~

 

The club was a large den full of darkness and moving lights that flickered over a mass of bodies that writhed in time to a heavy, pulsating beat.

Loki would not have entered such a place, but Thor and their companions immediately marched in with purpose, and he had to follow without hesitation just to avoid being left behind in this place.

He was quickly enveloped into this strange, almost subterranean world. The air was stifling, heavy and intoxicating from the heat of so many bodies. Scantily clad men and women alike pushed together, creating an ever-changing sea, and did not seem to care that Loki had to physically brush against them in order to pass by. The dancers did not care for anything except their partners, and the beat. They seemed overcome by it, moving wildly and wantonly, as in some shameless mating ritual. They were absorbed by the music itself, and indeed it was so loud that Loki could feel the bass in his chest... or perhaps that was his heart pounding wildly.

Loki nearly lost his companions in his distraction, but he was lucky that he was only a short distance to the destination they had in mind - the bar. He quickly went to his brother before he lost sight of him again. The assortment of bottles and glasses all glistened in the flashing lights.

"An ale!" Thor shouted, but Jane touched his arm lightly and ordered instead.

"Loki, what do you want?" Jane asked, her voice far lighter than Thor's, but still having to shout to be heard over the loud music.

Loki merely pressed his lips together and shook his head in refusal.

"He does not enjoy the flavors of spirits," Thor explained, clearly amused by this. He downed his drink in one gulp.

"Um, I'll order you a soda, then," Jane decided, and ordered another drink for Thor while she was at it.

"Here," she offered the drink to Loki. "Just try it to see if you like it. I feel bad if you're not going to drink anything."

"Their drink is not as strong," Thor assured him. "It feels as if drinking water."

Loki accepted the strange brew, at least deciding that one couldn't hurt if he drank it. The fizz on his tongue was unexpected, but reminded him of the way his magic tingled and licked at his fingertips in delicate sparks. And the flavor wasn't bad by far. Not at all. He took another sip, enjoying the new sensation once again, and was proud to keep up with his brother's pace if only for a while.

Drinking lost its interest after a while. Loki did not have such a thirst as Thor, who kept pounding down drink after drink. Worse, he did not have his brother's constitution for the drink, and knew very well that he'd have to quit long before Thor. 

Perhaps he'd already had too much – the music seemed so much more appealing. The low, pounding tones seemed to vibrate in his bones. He wondered briefly if this was what warriors felt like when they said they were called to the war drum. But Loki wasn't even close to being a warrior.

He watched Jane and Darcy move idly to the beat, and attempt to pull Thor into the crowd. Thor moved with them briefly, clumsy and laughing, but if they thought they could distract him from the drink, they were fools. Thor only had interest in the drink now, and did not stray far from it, so the girls eventually split off into the crowd to dance.

Of course, this wasn't dancing, Loki thought to himself. There did not seem to be any particular steps to follow. There was no grace to it, nor any particular level of complication. The music was also not music – at least nothing similar to the wind and string instruments of Asgard. Instead, the music was all loud noise, strange stuttering, unnatural noises that were still somehow pleasing to his ear. Rather than soft notes, this was all chaos in the form of sound. He loved it more than anything he'd ever heard before.

It was easy to slip into the crowd, to let the current of this living sea drag him into its center where the music was louder and consumed him completely. He did not mind becoming part of this faceless amoeba of people – there was a pleasing anonymity to it that he'd never known before, and their dance, however lewd, was so simple and so tempting. He hardly resisted, and within seconds was perfectly a part of this new mass.

 

~~~~~~

 

When Darcy and Jane tired of dancing, it was not difficult in the slightest to find Thor. He was exactly where they had left him, though now he had a small crowd of admirers who had apparently been keeping him company in drinking. He greeted their return as he always would – overly loud, and overly happy.

It was harder to discern where Loki was – mostly because the last place Thor expected his brother to be was in the mass of moving bodies.

"There he is," Darcy said, because they all caught sight of him at the same time. She strained on tip-toe to watch through the shifting crowd. "Wow. He's good."

Thor realized that he'd never watched his younger brother dance before. Not for his own amusement. Loki had only ever moved to Asgardian music when it was more of a formality expected of him. Those dances were so precise, all slow, graceful footing and perfectly timed turns. He only danced with Mother, or few other maidens of high-status, with palms together, movements perfectly calculated. The other style of dancing – the drunken, fast-paced sort that was full of cheer and breathlessness was one that Loki never participated in. It was all harsh grabbing and pulling one's partner around in dizzying, wild movement. 

This dance now was neither sort – it abandoned formalities, but was still graceful in the way that Loki's slim hips were impossible of being anything but enticing. Thor wondered how Loki could be so strikingly singular, and yet so flawlessly mimic the movements of the most talented dancers surrounding him, as if he'd always belonged here, in Midgard, on this floor. Loki was actually smiling. For some particular reason, the lyrics came very clearly to Thor's ears.

_So we search the sky  
for any flashing signs.  
We've gone too far beyond the border it's just you and I.  
And if this is the end,  
it's the best place I've ever been.  
It feels so good to just get lost sometimes. _

_Only the horses can find us tonight.  
Only the horses can bring us back home._

The song was pulsing and upbeat, but when the chorus hit it slowed, and suddenly it seemed that almost everyone was singing along as they slowly moved. This had happened before with other songs, but Thor hadn't been paying attention then, and this phenomenon startled him. He searched for Loki's reaction, but the chorus was already over, and the song plunged back into a euphoric, jumping beat.

Presently, someone tapped Thor on the arm and invited him to another round, which was followed by another, and another.

  


~~~~~~

  


Three hours later, Thor was still disappointingly sober, but the bartender refused to serve him any more drinks, muttering something about alcohol poisoning.

"Sorry," Jane dragged Thor away before he could rebuke the man. She somehow managed to pull on his arm and lean against it heavily for support at the same time, and Darcy was just as bad, stumbling and giggling endlessly.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else," Jane offered, her words somehow tired and excited at the same time. She stopped at the edge of the floor, near the exit. "Where's your brother?"

"He is-" Thor glanced towards the place that Loki had been occupying for such a length of time, but after a moment he realized that his brother was no longer there. He scanned the floor slowly, eyes darting between every shifting gap in the thick sea of people.

"There he is," Darcy grinned, pointing along a far wall. Loki was leaning there like a languid feline, apparently relaxing from the dance, with one knee bent up, foot against the wall. Then it occurred to all three at once that Loki was not alone – there was another lean man who stood close to him, nearly covering Loki with his own body, whispering things into Loki's ear that made him smirk.

Darcy laughed explosively, inverse to how Thor felt like reacting. "I think he thinks your brother is a girl," she said, still gasping with laughs. "He does have that long hair, and he's so damn slender, but.... Doesn't that idiot realize what he's-" her giggling commentary cut off as the man was suddenly kissing Loki's neck, and his hand was reaching down to... other things.

"Okay," Darcy said, suddenly quite sober. "He knows exactly what he's doing."

 

x


End file.
